The impact of Team Domenica's programmes is best seen through the eyes of our candidates, their families and our employer partners…
Sam has always been an active part of the local community – running marathons and training at Sussex Disability Cricket. And now, thanks to Team Domenica’s support, he’s also fulfilled his dream of gaining paid employment.
Whilst completing his training, Sam’s favourite tasks were working at our training cafés and serving customers. If he ever felt stressed or overwhelmed, our Training Mentors would ensure that he had the space, time and support to feel grounded again. Sam felt that he could be himself at Team Domenica; it was a place where everyone was on the same page, achieving their goals together.
Team Domenica is a place that welcomes you with open arms. The staff want you to succeed and I feel like I’m consistently learning and gaining new knowledge. I can be a bit rash at times, but the team helped me learn to take my time – slow and steady wins the race!
Sam, Team Domenica candidate
There was one place where Sam could go fast, however – Brighton Marathon Weekend. It was here that his passion and advocacy for Team Domenica was most evident. In fact, Sam has run and fundraised for us every year since 2022, raising thousands of pounds for the futures of other young people with learning disabilities and autism.
I wanted to give back to Team Domenica; to thank them for their support. Running the Brighton Marathon brought me lots of enjoyment, the crowd had an encouraging atmosphere and I hit all my targets!
Sam, Team Domenica candidate
In Sam’s second year at Team Domenica, he started a supported internship at Pizza Pilgrims, Brighton. He loved the hustle and bustle of working in a popular restaurant in the heart of Brighton’s city centre. He also enjoyed being a part of a welcoming and supportive team that recognised his individual talents.
Unsurprisingly, Sam was offered paid employment in record time, only 5 months after the start of his internship. In fact, the management at Pizza Pilgrims were so impressed by his work ethic that they’ve now welcomed other Team Domenica candidates into their team.
